Yugioh: Duality
by Roeher
Summary: "The prophecy foretold by the ancients is that one of strong, but fractured spirit will rise. One who bears the burdens of both light and darkness. One, seemingly in conflict within himself, must rise and defeat those who would plunge this world completely into either. But first he must walk the path of acceptance of the duality in his spirit."
1. Chapter 1

___The prophecy foretold by the ancients is that one of strong, but fractured spirit will rise. One who bears the burdens of both light and darkness. One, seemingly in conflict within himself, must rise and defeat those who would plunge this world completely into either. But first he must walk the path of acceptance of the duality in his spirit._

Those words have gone through my head at least once a day for the last few years. A fortune teller spoke them after touching my hands at a carnival a few years back, and ever since then, I've been wondering why she said them to me. After all, a factory worker in Heartland City isn't anything special, and certainly has nothing to do with any saving of worlds or anything of that sort. Sure, I'm a smart guy, but with my line of work, that doesn't get you into anything but trouble. And that trouble was just beginning.

Heartland City, Factory District, 2:35pm

We were on our last break of our 10-hour shift, and someone got the bright idea to have a quick Duel, even though it was largely forbidden on company property. Sure, most of the supervisors would look the other way, but if Mr. Harrison came in, we could lose our jobs. I was not participating, but I was watching, just for the entertainment of the whole thing. Mitch was Dueling against Checkers, nicknamed for the ridiculous checkered hat he was always wearing. Mitch had the upper hand, but Checkers had a knack for the dramatic, having pulled off every win I'd ever seen him earn with a comeback. It was his turn, but the odds didn't seem to be in his favor. Mitch was sitting on a Gene-Warped Warwolf wearing a Horn of the Phantom Beast, protected by a single face-down card, while Checkers was more or less out of gas, with just one face-down card on his field. His back seemingly against the wall, he drew his card, and practically lept into the air.

"I finally got it, and now it's time to start my combo!"

He called out Wattcobra, activated a Double Summon for another, and activated a Field Spell, Luminous Spark to raise their Attack points by 500 each. Finally, he added the Equip Spell Fighting Spirit, before activating his face-down Trap, Ojama Trio, a relic from ages past, and the only way his combo was going to work. His attack practically declared itself, with both Cobras rushing in with exactly enough points to win, but Mitch was clever enough to have his counterattack waiting: The trap Attack Guidance Armor, which redirected the attack to his Warwolf, and sealed poor Checkers' fate.

The Duel had been entertaining, but in the intensity of the moment, no one noticed Mr. Harrison walking in the door, clearly appalled at what he was seeing. After all, no extracurricular activity was permitted on company property, because it could distract workers from their jobs and cause them to lose productivity.

"What's the meaning of this?" he bellowed. "You all know better than this. Whose idea was this? Is it some kind of joke? Someone better step forward or you're all getting suspended without pay."

_He's going to fire whoever steps forward, but expects us to do it anyway. Maybe I can come up with a better solution._

"How about this instead? If I can Duel and beat you right here, right now, the only person that gets suspended is me."

The look on his face was priceless as the murmurs around the room swelled. Whispers over my selfless act were already reaching back to me, while others were talking me up as a selfish idiot who just wanted an excuse for days off. Either way, it didn't matter. It was time to Duel, and time to show the boss that I wasn't afraid of him, and neither were the other workers.

"Very well," he said with a slight tone of annoyance to his voice. "If you somehow manage to beat me, I guess I'll have no choice but to let you get a week off to rest your obviously weary muscles. But I don't think that's going to happen, and if you lose, you lose your job too. I'll even up the stakes. If you win, your week off is paid."

"Sounds like a deal to me, now let's get this over with."

Saiyu 4000

Harrison 4000

The first move was his, and he liked to start big.

"I start by dropping out my Giant Orc in attack mode, and placing a card face-down to end my turn."

My mind immediately began trying to wrap around his strategy in, trying to dissect it before I took my draw.

_His monster is powerful, but not too powerful to get around. If he uses that face-down card to destroy mine, I guess I'm sunk, but if not, I've got him on the ropes. All I've got to do is make an Xyz monster to overpower that Orc._

My mind was also swimming with the more impulsive thoughts that typically take place during my Duels too.

_You can kill that thing right now. All you've gotta do is summon something bigger and attack. Who cares what that face-down card is. You've got everything you need to set up your ace in hand right now, so why are you waiting?_

Ultimately, like most cases, I settled on the middle ground between the two, setting up an Xyz monster that could get around that face-down card if it was what I thought.

"I start by calling out my Wind-Up Soldier, which allows me to Special Summon my Wind-Up Shark from my hand. Then, I activate my Soldier's effect, which lets me-"

"Do nothing, because at the cost of 1000 of my Life Points, I'm activating the Continuous Trap Skill Drain, to put a damper on your plans. See, Skill Drain here is kinda like this job. You pay a small price, but if you do your job right, eventually you'll be powerful enough to be a winner, instead of always believing you're special and trying to prove everyone wrong."

_Obviously this guy is crazier than I thought, but I'll bite. I've still got that Orc's number, and that number is up._

"I Overlay my Level 4 Soldier and Shark then, and with that Overlay Network, I Xyz Summon Gem-Knight Pearl, the hardest-working Xyz in this place."

His pristine body emerged from the network, and Pearl struck a quick pose before settling down and sizing up his opponent.

"Now Gem-Knight Pearl, attack with Precious Stone Pummel!"

Pearl's punch struck home, taking out the Orc and 400 more of Harrison's Life Points, but something told me that wasn't it just yet.

Saiyu 4000

Harrison 2600

_That Skill Drain opens up the door for a whole bunch of monsters to come out with basically no drawback, and I'm sure he's playing all of them. Even if I'm smarter than he is, that power can equalize things, simply because he can go as big or bigger than me, and do it with fewer cards from his hand. Let's see what he does next. _

He drew his card, clearly loving his luck.

"I start by activating my Pot of Duality, which allows me to see three cards ahead, and choose the best one for the situation. I choose my Beast King Barbaros, and after shuffling my Deck, I'm going to Summon him to the Field."

I was slightly puzzled.

"Barbaros is a Level 8 monster. How's that work, or is that more of your normal management style, just doing whatever you want with no regard for the rules?"

"Barbaros can come down with no Tributes, but his effect reduces his Attack Points to 1900. An effect that is negated thanks to my Skill Drain, which means he comes down with all 3000 points intact."

_That's not good. When I thought he had a monster ready, this is not what I had in mind. Maybe this is as big as he can get. If so, I can still make it._

On the other hand...

_Don't kid yourself Saiyu. This guy's got more than just a big monster in the works here. He's got your disrupted and beaten down in just a single turn. Might as well start mentally filling out those unemployment forms._

"Beast King Barbaros, wipe out Gem-Knight Pearl and put this production filth back in his place! Ruler's Rush!"

The attack struck home, blasting my Pearl to shards and taking out 400 of my Life Points in the process. I had just one hope left, but it would take a bit of doing.

Saiyu 3600

Harrison 2600

_I've got two monsters who were built for this situation, but first, I've got to summon one of them. Then, I've got to find a way to get its effect online. Finally, I've gotta neutralize that Skill Drain before it finishes me off. Let's see what we can come up with. He doesn't have any cards left on the field to protect his monster, so he's clearly banking on Skill Drain to bail him out._

"Ok boss, not bad, but it's my turn, and time to put a stop to all this. I'm going to use a lot, but it's going to do a lot, just like my work. I start by discarding a card from my hand to Special Summon The Tricky. Then, I follow up with my Instant Fusion Spell, letting me drop a thousand Life Points to call out Pragtical. Next, I place one card face-down and Overlay my two Level 5 monsters."

The swirling spirals of the Overlay Network began to take on a white tinge, heralding my monster's arrival.

"From the heavens I call, please help us all. Descend, Tiras, Keeper of Geneis!"

My angelic avenger burst forth, shining a blinding light on the field and forcing even the mighty Barbaros to cower until the light wore off, revealing my monster.

"Next up comes the card I just Set on the field, the Trap card Dimension Slice. Normally, this would be impossible, but Dimension Slice activates when a monster is Special Summoned to my field, and activates in the same turn it was set if that Summon was an Xyz Summon. Dimension Slice will rid the field of your pathetic Barbaros, and now Tiras will direct all his attention to you."

Harrison's normally calm and cocky disposition was showing cracks of fear, even a bit of shame for how this Duel was going.

_That's right Saiyu, put him in his place. This may be the wrong monster for the job, but he'll do in a pinch._

I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts up.

_This is the perfect monster for the job. And putting him in his place has never really mattered. I just want him to know we aren't afraid of him. I don't want him afraid of me either._

Regardless, it was time to attack, to finish the strategy I had set forth.

"Tiras, attack directly. Show him the wrath of your Judgment Saber Blast!"

The attack struck home, giving me a serious lead, and putting me one step closer to all-out victory.

"And now that we're in the end of the Battle Phase, I'm throwing my Spell card Forbidden Lance, just to make things interesting. With it, Tiras loses 800 Attack Points until the End Phase, but is unaffected by any other Spells or Traps, meaning its effect is back. An effect that now activates since he attacked you this turn, so say goodbye to Skill Drain."

Saiyu 2600

Harrison 200

He was down, but by no means out, and he looked ready to pounce.

"It's my turn, and I start off by throwing my Card Destruction Spell card. This forces both of us to throw out our hands and draw new ones. Then I'm playing the Allure of Darkness Spell, drawing two cards from my deck to banish one Dark monster in my hand, so say goodbye to Axe Dragonute. Now the stage is set. I banish one Barbaros from my Graveyard, along with a Fusilier Dragon, the Dual-Mode Beast, and call forth my ultimate monster: Beast Machine King Barbaros Ur!"

The beast burst forth, shaking the break room around us with his arrival. His massive 3800 Attack points were nothing to sneeze at, although his negative effect was in full swing. As long as that effect was active, I took no damage from its attacks. But something told me that wasn't going to be a big thing either.

"I now equip my Beast Machine King with my Axe of Fools, raising his Attack power and negating his effect, meaning he's dealing full damage to you, and has a thousand more points to do it with. Barbaros Ur, obliterate that Keeper of Genesis! Go Machine King's Rampage!"

Tiras was gone, and with him, seemingly all hope of my victory. After all, he was my most versatile monster, and he was ripped to shreds right in front of me.

Saiyu 1400

Harrison 200

_The path this one must walk upon is of acceptance of both sides of his spirit._

That was it. Tiras wasn't the only monster I could call on. And I knew what I needed now. Tiras is all about versatility, and doing things the honorable way, through battle. But sometimes a more direct approach is needed.

"It's my turn, and it's time to end this. I start by playing the Spell Card Pot of Avarice, allowing me to reload my deck and my hand to put an end to you. I shuffle 5 monster cards back into my Deck and draw twice, giving me one more chance to take you down."

_It's all for nothing if I can't draw the right cards here..._

As I drew the cards, I visualized what they needed to be, going through the large number of combos that made the monster I needed most. I opened my eyes and saw one of them right in front of me, ready to end this Duel.

"I start by Special Summoning Solar Wind Jammer since I have no monsters on my field. His effect cuts his points in half, but that doesn't matter, because now I can Normal Summon my Star Drawing, which is going to draw your fate out for you. Star Drawing's effect allows it to be treated as a Level 5 monster for Xyz Summons, so with these two, I build the Overlay Network!"

As the red swirls picked up in speed, a dense black fog, festering and thick, began to spill out onto the field. The stage was set. Now to finish this.

"From the depths of shadows you rise, so give my foe a nasty surprise. Awaken Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon!"

The shadows themselves formed into my new beast, and incarnation of darkness, wielding a small dagger instead of the radiant sword favored by his lighter half.

"Adreus has a Special ability. By using one Overlay unit, I can destroy any face-up card on your field. You see, where Tiras destroys through battle, Adreus simply dismisses anything that gets in his way. Where Tiras is versatile and honorable, Adreus is focused on just one thing: Destruction. So say goodbye to your Beast Machine King. Go Dark Lord's Judgment!"

As the beast was swallowed up by the shadows, Adreus trained his sights on Harrison, ready to deliver the final blow.

"Adreus, take him out with Silent Dagger Slash!"

Saiyu 1400

Harrison 0


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a heck of a week. I spent the first day just relaxing. Sitting still, not working, not Dueling, not doing anything. When I awoke the next morning, my muscles were pain-free, stiffness-free, and ready to go. That alone made the week worth it, but there was something else going on.

My Duel against Harrison got me thinking. I correctly read his strategy, executed a good counter, and ultimately controlled a game against a much more powerful opponent. It was the way I usually played, but to see it work with such high stakes, well, I was curious just how good I really was. Perhaps that one Duel was the start I needed to finally get out of the Factory District. As much as I liked all my co-workers, I couldn't really call any of them friends. I just knew them from work.

More important than that, the World Championship Tournament Series was about to start, in just two weeks' time, meaning I had to make a decision about whether or not I really wanted to give it a legitimate shot. I would be the oldest competitor by a mile, but trading virtual enslavement for a chance to do something I enjoyed was worth the mild embarrassment. After all, Yusei Fudo was the best Duelist of his generation, and he didn't really catch fire until adulthood either, despite his obviously prodigious skills. The first thing I had to do was find a better test of my skill.

Luckily, a shop just outside the District liked to hold small tournaments every day, just to give aspiring young Duelists a chance to get used to the atmosphere. It was obviously going to be nothing compared to "real" ones like the Qualifier for the WCTS, but it would be a good test of my skill level, especially since the top players there would likely be gearing up for their run in that series as well. So the question really became much simpler: What was I going to do about the inconsistencies in my Deck?

When I built it, I wanted to showcase the ease at which I could make the powerful Rank 5 monsters, Tiras, Adreus, and one more that I hadn't really gotten to use. I ultimately decided the Wind-Up monsters gave me the greatest flexibility in executing that strategy, but more than that, they seemed to represent my current life situation, being stuck somewhere, only really getting one shot at doing anything special, then having to have outside assistance before trying again. To support them, and to catch opponents off-guard, I went with a staunch Spell Card lineup, playing only a single Trap card in my Deck, allowing me the ability to dodge old standbys like Jinzo and Royal Decree, while still being able to both protect my monsters and disrupt my opponent's strategy. On the whole, it felt like a solid deck, but was really still missing something, which was the ability to draw cards on a consistent basis.

As for ace monsters, while I liked Tiras and Adreus, and they held a special place in my strategy, I still had yet to find that one monster that everyone else had. That one monster that they felt could win them any Duel, so long as they could set it up. For Yusei it was Stardust Dragon, for Jack Atlas it was Red Dragon Archfiend, and for hometown hero Yuma Tsukumo, it was Number 39: Utopia. All of them knew what their key card was, and knew how to build their strategies to suit those cards. I was still searching for mine, although ultimately, Tiras and Adreus were sharing the load right now, mainly due to that fortune-teller's thing about Light and Dark.

With the tournament set to start around 1pm, I left my apartment at noon, walking over to see what the fuss was all about.

* * *

Duelist's Paradise, 6pm, Heartland City

The tournament had gone extremely well thus far. 25 people showed up, but there were just two of us left now. My deck had come out swinging in a big way, showcasing an explosive edge that I'd never seen from it, and ultimately overwhelming most of my adversaries in a shower of powerful Xyz monsters. It was down to this match to see if I could play with the big boys.

My opponent was Miles, a local teen who had flirted with Nationals competition last year, but ultimately fell flat once he got into the tournament, due to the pressure of the moment. He had been crushing tournaments here ever since, waiting for the right moment to try again. I hadn't heard a whole lot about him, other than the fact that his ace monster was one most were really just afraid to play: Airknight Parshath.

Before the match started, while we were shuffling our decks, Miles decided to try and get in my head, talking up his Deck while trying to bash on mine.

"You know I'm undefeated too, but I'm not having to rely on my opening hand to get me there, right? Your deck only works when your opening hand is good. Mine works by grinding the opponent down. I think you don't have a chance here, newbie."

I was undeterred, and was not even going to legitimize his words with a reaction. My Deck was plenty good enough to take down a cocky sod like this, even if it did have its moments of inconsistency. All I had to do was stay calm and figure out his game, then take him out of it.

* * *

Finals match, Saiyu vs. Miles

It was my turn to start, something that hadn't happened all day. I had grown rather accustomed to making the first attack, rather than the first play. Truth be told, I liked going second anyway, but for now, I'd have to settle for starting a little slower to see what his plan was.

"I'll start out by Setting a monster in Defense Mode and placing two cards face-down to End my turn."

Miles' face bore a sly smile as he drew his card, clearly eager to pounce on what seemed a lackluster opening from me.

"I'll start by Special Summoning my Oracle of the Sun, because you have a monster and I don't. Next, he'll be Tributed to pave the way for the man of the hour, Airknight Parshath."

I knew this monster. I once flirted with the idea of including him in my Deck, but decided it was too much effort to pull off reliably. That being said, it was still a cool thing to see him in action. His ability to deal Piercing Damage and draw cards could be a big swing in this match.

"Parshath is going to attack your face-down monster to get things started."

My monster card Star Drawing revealed itself, but I wasn't letting it go down that easily.

"I activate my face-down Spell card Half Shut, which cuts Star Drawing's attack points in half, but keeps it safe from battle this turn."

Miles was still cocky as ever.

"That may be, but you're still taking 900 points of Piercing Damage, and I get to draw another card to protect my monster. I place two face-down and end my turn."

Saiyu 3100

Miles 4000

_Ok Sai. It's time to figure out this guy's game. He already let slip that he needs Parshath's card draw to help protect it. The question becomes, protect it from what? More than likely, he's just going to try to protect it from card effects, since that seems the most direct route to its throat. The best thing I can do right now is summon out something that can make the difference. Something that can take this thing down quick, and without making a mess of things in the process. _

"I start by calling out my Tour Guide from the Underworld. Her ability allows me to Special Summon another Fiend-type monster at Level 3 from my Deck, which allows my second copy to join the fray. Next, I'm Overlaying my two Level 3 monsters to Xyz Summon."

The familiar red spirals swirled around the crater as my new monster was formed. This might not be my most powerful monster, but it was the perfect one for the task at hand.

"Come forth, Lavalval Ignis. His Special ability lets him grow by 500 attack points once per battle, meaning that by the time it counts, he'll be bigger than your Airknight. Ignis, attack that Parshath with Fiery Frontal Assault!"

The smile on Miles' face just kept getting bigger.

"Thanks for wasting your Normal Summon on a monster that can't touch mine. I activate the Spell card Rush Recklessly, boosting my monster by 700 points and putting your beast on ice. Take him down Parshath."

Saiyu 2800

Miles 4000

"And since my Parshath dealt damage to you, I can draw an additional card."

_So that's what he's up to. His deck is designed to take advantage of Parshath's ability to draw cards, allowing him to further take advantage. This means he has very few ways of protecting his monster from card effects. That's great news for me._

"My turn's not done yet. I activate my Instant Fusion Spell Card, allowing me to bring forth a Level 5 Fusion monster at the cost of 1000 Life Points. I choose Pragtical, and now I'm invoking my Star Drawing, who can be treated as a Level 5 monster for an Xyz Summon. I build the Overlay Network!"

The red spirals quickly became tainted with black as the dense, dark fog took the field again.

"Behold my shadowy protector. Rise, Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon!"

He appeared from the dark mist, still seeming to be a part of it. His face seemed to hold a malice just barely in check.

"I now activate your Special Ability. By using one Overlay Unit, I can destroy one face-up card on my opponent's field, and I'm betting you don't have a way to stop me. Say goodbye to Parshath."

The beast vanished into the shadows, but the smile still wasn't gone.

"I place one more card face-down and end my turn."

Miles drew his card, and the strategy seemed to click all into place.

"Just because you beat my monster doesn't mean he's gone. First, I banish Parshath to Special Summon Ghost Ship from my hand. Then, by Tributing Ghost Ship, I can Summon forth a new copy of my mighty beast, Airknight Parshath, but let's not kid ourselves by thinking I'm done yet."

_What could he be planning now? He's got his monster back, and he's still got plenty of cards to protect it with. What could he be up to now?_

"I activate the Trap card Miraculous Descent, allowing my first Airknight to retake the field. And now the stage is properly set. I Tribute Airknight Parshath to Special Summon my true ace, Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin, and I'll further reinforce my field with the Sanctuary in the Sky Field Spell."

_I still don't quite understand. All that does is make him not take battle damage when I destroy his monster in battle._

"While I control Sanctuary, and my Life Points are higher than yours, Neo-Parshath gains attack points equal to the difference. Attack!"

Now was the time to act. I wasn't going to get another good chance at this.

"Not so fast! I activate my Spell card Enemy Controller, forcing your Neo-Parshath, and all the power it holds, into Defense Mode."

He was undeterred yet again.

"Then I attack with the original, and activate my Spell Card Ego Boost, allowing Parshath to slay your little demon."

Saiyu 1500

Miles 4000

"This ends my turn."

_This is certainly a good test. I've gotten the right feel for his strategy, but didn't read far enough into it to realize that he was going to just go bigger than me once he chipped away at my Life Points. At this stage, there's only one play that will work here, and I need a lot of help to make it happen. I have to take down his Sky Paladin first, then find a way to take it away from him. I'm sure his face-down cards are his key, so I have to take them out and find a way into his monster from there._

"It's my turn, and I start by calling out my Summoner Monk. By discarding a Spell from my hand, I can Special Summon one Level 4 monster from my Deck, and I choose Wind-Up Magician. Next, because Magician has hit the field, I can Special Summon Wind-Up Shark from my hand, and activate his Special Ability to grow to Level 5, which in turn activates the effect of Magician."

_That's the secret here. I not only have to take his monsters out, but do so in a way that allows me to lock him out of getting them back._

"When the effect of a Wind-Up monster activates with Magician on the field, Magician can activate to call another Level 4 or lower Wind-Up monster to join it on the field. I call Wind-Up Soldier, and now the stage is set once Soldier's ability activates, making him Level 5 as well. First I build the Overlay Network with Level 5 Soldier and Shark to Xyz Summon my angelic avenger."

The swirls began to glow with a blinding white light as my beast was formed.

"Descend, Tiras, Keeper of Genesis!"

Tiras descended from the sky with a blinding radiant aura surrounding him, clearly ready to do serious battle with his foe.

"Next, I Overlay Level 4 Magician and Monk to Xyz Summon my key to victory, Steelswarm Roach."

Admittedly, Roach didn't look like much, but he was going to play the key role in my win. I just had to execute the final phase of my play properly. I had to find a way to either Summon another Xyz monster, or find a way to blow out Miles' Spell and Trap zones.

"Now I play the final card in my hand, and the one that could spell your defeat. Pot of Avarice allows me to shuffle 5 monster cards back into my Deck to draw 2 cards. If I draw the right card, your day is done here."

_I know what I need to draw. Just make it happen. Just make it happen._

I slid my hand over the deck slot after it finished shuffling, and drew the two cards without looking. At first, I couldn't look at them. I had to have drawn it, but I had also just thickened the deck beforehand, so it was a long shot at any rate.

_It's time to see it._

I looked at the two cards and smiled.

"I activate the Spell Card Heavy Storm, but not before I first power down your attack-position Parshath with my Book of Moon Spell that I had face-down. Now Heavy Storm blows away all the Spell and Trap cards on the Field."

_Stage is set, and everything's in place._

"Now Tiras, attack that face-down Parshath with Divine Saber Blast. With that done, I end my Battle Phase and activate Tiras' special ability, which destroys a card at the end of any Battle Phase involving an attack and Tiras, so say goodbye to your Neo-Parshath as well. I then place my final card face-down and end my turn."

Miles was clearly furious, since his endgame had been picked apart so abruptly, but seemed rather calm all things considered. It was his turn, but I already knew what he would try to do.

"I start by activating the Spell card Monster Reborn, to revive my Neo-Parshath."

"Not so fast pal. This is where my other monster comes in handy. When you try to Special Summon a monster over Level 5, Steelswarm Roach can use an Overlay Unit and put that play on ice. Looks like this Duel's basically over."

Miles was stunned, but knew what was going to happen, same as me. His typical plays weren't going to work, so he'd have to find a way to defend himself. Even if he could, at best it would buy him a turn, and with my Deck finally firing properly, that was not something he could bank on.

Instead, he simply put his arms out, tilted his head back and uttered two words.

"End it."

I was happy to oblige, with just a single word of my own.

"Attack!"

Saiyu 1500

Miles 0

After quite possibly the single-best Duel of my life, I was not about to leave without congratulating my opponent. Despite the tough loss, Miles was still all smiles after the Duel. He was stifling back a laugh as I approached him to shake his hand.

"I've gotta be honest with you Miles. That was the toughest match I've ever fought. I think I could learn a thing or two about how to properly build around my ace monster, once I figure out what it is. You've got serious game, and if it comes down to it, I would like to Duel you again."

He shrugged, clearly not upset with the idea.

"After the way you'd played all day, I was surprised to see such a cerebral style of play from you, taking blow after blow to feel out what I was doing, then counter-punching before it was too late. I think I could learn a thing or two about being more flexible from you, and those two big Xyz monsters you made seem like ace monster material to me."

_That settles it. I will be competing in this tournament series. I am as ready as I'll ever be. I just know that no matter what bracket I wind up in, sooner or later I'll have to face the three favorite sons of Heartland, and very likely one of its favorite daughters. I've got to be at the top of my game for that to happen, and for that, I need to do a quick overhaul on my Deck, and make it as strong and consistent as I can before the tournament. Thankfully, I've still got a few days off to do that with, and a new partner to help me test it out. _


End file.
